Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Crisis Intervention
After Dumbledore refused to act, we were… lost. For lack of a better word. He was our headmaster and a fellow Gryffindor. If Dumbledore wasn't going to have our backs when we asked for help, when would he? And that's without adding the amount of info we tried to share with him. I mean, Merlin! Fred and George had basically presented me as the golden goose and I had been ready to sing like a canary. Who turns away from an open book like that?
We didn't know what to do. I hadn't wanted to tell Dumbledore to begin with. But like Fred and George, I saw involving Dumbledore as a sort of 'game over' move. It was like admitting we were failing and forced to show someone higher up our hand. We had no backup plan for telling Dumbledore. So, after we left Dumbledore's office… We went to charms class. It was already halfway through by the time we entered the classroom. Fred got the honor of coming up with an explanation for Flitwick about why we were so late. Coming up with half-ass excuses is generally something we enjoy. Especially when no one believes us. In the past, we always, always, always got detention when we did this. But this time, Flitwick listened to our half-baked excuse, took in our dimmed expressions, and told us to take our seats without so much as taking away house points. It was the only clue we got to how defeated we must look.
Fred and George join Lee while I sit next to Alicia and Angelina. All our friends cast curious, searching looks in our directions. I could guess what their questions were; Where were you? Why did you skip class? What happened? What was all that weird stuff you were talking about in defense? But it's not like we can talk about any of that in class, so we kept our heads down. Or at least, I did. I couldn't focus on Flitwick's lesson. I couldn't even pretend. But with class halfway over, it didn't matter.
What to do? What to do? We need to stay away from Lockhart. Obviously. But was that possible? Dumbledore had said he'd do something about Lockhart's teaching methods. But what does that mean? Was he going to sack Lockhart? Or do something else? How long before he did… whatever he was going to do? I doubt anything would get done before our next defense class.
After charms was lunch. But before we could leave the classroom, Flitwick asked us to stay behind. With everyone sending us weird looks as they filed out, Flitwick waited for the door to shut behind the last one. "Are you alright?" he asked; eyes scanning all three of us. "It's not like you three to look so down."
No one had a ready-made answer for Flitwick. We had worked up the courage once to let an adult in our circle of trust and the results were disappointing. It wasn't something I was ready to repeat any time soon. So, I tried to make my brain work; to think of something to appease Flitwick. Snape confiscated our supply of dung bombs. We're sad that we can't prank Filch right now because he's too depressed about Mrs. Norris… We were homesick. I don't know. But apparently, feeling defeated and having no idea how we should proceed makes us honest. "We were talking to Professor Dumbledore about Lockhart. We think he's going to hurt Holly". Fred spoke up. I sent him a sideways glaze around George. Is that how we're playing it? He had his arms crossed over his chest and was staring at Flitwick and only Flitwick.
To his credit, Flitwick did not wave away our worries or tried to rationalize them as an over-exaggeration. Instead, his eyes darkened and he leaned forward slightly on the podium he was standing on. It's the podium he uses so he can be at eye level with everyone when he's teaching. "What has been going on?" He asked.
Yes, what's been going on? "He's picking students he doesn't like and makes them do 'demonstrations' in class to use magic on them", George reported. "Holly's a favorite because she pointed her wand at him during that quidditch game with the bludger". And looking back, that really had been strike two. Strike one was Dobby giving Lockhart the diary. The jury is still out if trying to involve Dumbledore was strike three.
Flitwick shifted his attention to me. "Miss Weasley, have you been hurt?" His question is serious, but he asked it calmly. It gave me the impression that no matter how I answered, Flitwick wouldn't respond in a way that would put me further on edge. However, even with that small nicety, I didn't have an answer I wanted to give. I stood next to my brothers and in front of Flitwick with my lips pursed. Was I hurt? Physically I was fine. But I don't think that is the type of hurt Flitwick is asking about.
When a moment passed without me saying anything, George opened his mouth and started making speech sounds. With a firm but understanding look, Flitwick has him quieting. Flitwick's attention goes back to me. "Do you feel like you are going to be hurt?" He asked a different question; giving me different ways I can give him the same information.
I didn't mean to say it. I had no plan to say anything. But standing in front of a wizard who has been my teacher for four years and never raised his voice; it just pops out of my mouth. "I want to go home". And as soon as I said it, I knew it was the truth. I wanted to hide behind the walls of the burrow. I wanted to fall asleep under one of Mum's homemade quilts. I wanted everyone to be home to share a meal of rosemary chicken around our crowded dining table. I wanted Dad to hound me with questions about the most useless of muggle inventions. I wanted Adrian to come over and suffer through an interrogation as my brothers tried to figure out if they liked him or not. I just wanted to feel normal for a bit.
The lines around Flitwick's eyes softened as he read everything that I wasn't saying from my single admittance. He had been trying to collect intel on Lockhart for weeks. Everyone knew that. It made me wonder how many students had come before us. How much practice did Flitwick have at getting scared students to talk? He looked at all three of us again. "I think it took a lot of courage for you three to tell Dumbledore", Flitwick complimented. Except we couldn't accept it. Not when Flitwick didn't know everything we had tried to report. "What did Professor Dumbledore say?"
Fred sighed in frustration. "He said he'd handle it. But he didn't say when or how".
Flitwick nodded once and I couldn't tell if he agreed or disagreed with Dumbledore's choice. But I had no doubt whose side Flitwick was on. Flitwick was first and foremost a teacher. He wasn't like Snape who hated kids and was only at Hogwarts because he owed Dumbledore a life service. He wasn't like Binns who was completely out of touch with his students and didn't know any of their names. Flitwick was here and actively involved because he wanted to be. "In the meantime, how would you three feel about becoming teacher aids?"
Umm….. "Sir?" George asked slowly. Flitwick's offer had nothing to do with what we had been talking about and felt like it was coming from out of the blue.
Flitwick expressed his understanding through a small smile. "I could use some help during my class with the first-year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. I believe that takes place at the same time as your class with Professor Lockhart". A mischievous little gleam traveled across Flitwick's eyes. Oh. He had thought of a way to give us an out. I quickly glanced at Fred and George; feeling both astonished and impressed. Why did it take Flitwick seconds to find a way to help us in the now when Dumbledore didn't even have advice for us? "Temporarily, of course", Flitwick added. "We can't keep you from a core subject for too long. But it isn't your OWL year and you're not NEWT students, so I believe it will be possible. It's actually recommended for students who might be interested in pursuing a career in education to shadow one of their professors. And I just know the Weasley triplets are dying to learn how they can help influence young minds." Double meaning was laced into every word Flitwick said. Who knew he had it in him.
It didn't take Fred and George long to jump on board. "Absolutely Professor", George agreed.
"You know us. We think school is the most important thing in the world", Fred added. Flitwick made no reaction to the heavy-handed amount of sarcasm they were using. I mean, it was good sarcasm. They were happy with Flitwick intervening.
"I wouldn't be able to have three aids in my class. But I'm sure other professors would appreciate the extra help. Professor Sprout or Professor Burbage, for example. And you would have to study defense on your own time. To keep up with the curriculum, of course", Flitwick further explained. "Are you three interested in becoming teacher aids?"
Another moment of silence as my brothers and I passed looks back and forth. What Flitwick was offering was a temporary solution to our safety concerns. But it wouldn't fix anything in the long run if Dumbledore didn't do anything about Lockhart. It just bought us more time. More looks seemed to be shared between Fred and George than me, Fred, and George. Seems like they are still serious about their plan that I wasn't allowed to make any more plans. "We can't leave Lee behind", George said to Flitwick after the moment passed. I know they didn't just mean Lee. Fred and George would worry about all our friends being in class with possessed-Lockhart. Like true Gryffindors, they wouldn't leave them to endure on their own.
"But Holly will do it", Fred decided to accept on my behalf. I thought about refusing; arguing that if they weren't going to leave Lee, I couldn't leave Adrian. But I also didn't want to confront Professor Riddle anytime soon. Especially, when I didn't feel like I had a chance of success. So, I just nodded my assent to Flitwick.
Flitwick's smile grows. "Excellent. And Mister and Mister Weasley, if you change your mind at any time or if things become worse, you'll let me know?"
Fred and George gave Flitwick solemn nods.
Flitwick turned back to me. "I will talk with Professor McGonagall and get everything arranged. Expect a new class schedule tomorrow morning". Flitwick hopped off his podium and started walking towards the door. "Now, you three. Let's head down for lunch". Fred and George went first, and I numbly followed behind. Was I making the right choice? "And on the way, you can tell me about the marvelous hats you made last year". Flitwick continued. But he wasn't fooling us. He was walking us to the great hall to make sure we didn't run into Lockhart. If students could give teachers house points, I'd give Flitwick enough to fill Ravenclaw's hourglass.
Today's lunch was chicken sandwiches and salad. I had eaten about half of it when someone came to hover over my shoulder. "Holly", Adrian called softly to get my attention.
"Not now, Pucey", George interjected as I turned in my seat. "We're eating.
Adrian ignored him, keeping his eyes on me. "Walk with me". Adrian offered me his hand to help me climb out of my seat. It was the kind of gesture he usually made when we interact. But I didn't miss how he hadn't phrased it as a question. "I want to talk to you".
I dropped my half-eaten sandwich on my plate before accepting Adrian's hand, knowing there was no avoiding this. Adrian was too attuned and thorough to let me get away with what I had said in defense class without questioning me about it. As Adrian helped pull me to my feet, and adjusted my hand until I had taken his arm, Fred gave a nervous, "Holls?"
It was an emotion that wasn't normal for him and it stung. "I'll be fine", I tried to assure both of my fellow triplets.
And then as if he knew what we were talking about, Adrian said, "Nothing is going to happen as long as she is with me".
We didn't wait for Fred and George to respond or argue. Adrian led me out of the great hall and neither one of us looked over our shoulders.
He didn't say anything as he took us somewhere else in the castle. He wasn't even looking at me even though I was sneaking glances at him every couple of steps. Adrian wasn't clenching his jaw and the vein in his temple wasn't throbbing. His usual tells of agitation weren't there. I couldn't decide if he was angry, confused, or concerned about what went down in defense. Maybe he was feeling all three. Either way, I couldn't think of how any of those options would bode for me.
Adrian kept this up until we entered an empty classroom. It is the same classroom Fred, George, Lee, and I used when we were practicing the reversal spell last year. Adrian has me enter first, and he makes sure to close the door behind him. "So, what's going on?" I asked, figuring I owed Adrian some sort of an explanation. Suddenly sprouting out things about riddles that sounded completely out of context to anyone who didn't know about Tom Riddle's diary would have most people raising eyebrows. I just hoped he wasn't going to get mad like he had when I had said 'crude' things to Stimpson about our relationship.
Adrian faced me and pulled his wand out of his robe pocket. His wand was made out of black walnut wood. I didn't know its core, but at that moment, I was more curious about why he had taken it out at all rather than the inner workings of wands. Reflexively, I took a step back. Should I have made sure this was actually Adrian before leaving with him? There hasn't been enough time for Lockhart to have gotten his hands on polyjuice potion, right? "I think we should have a duel", Adrian stated.
Come again? I blinked a couple of times as I fought the urge to do a double-take. "Why?" I asked What good would having a duel do?
"Humor me", Adrian responded quickly. "I think there's something you're forgetting".
Okay…. That was slightly cryptic. I pulled out my wand but didn't raise it. "And you can't just tell me because…." I trailed off in question. To be completely honest, with everything that's been going on in this school, I was a little sick of magic.
"Do you trust me?" Adrian answered my question with a question. I still couldn't read his expression. His eyes weren't expressing much. If anything, they appeared calm and steadfast. Which wasn't giving me anything to go off. His body posture was relaxed too, despite his weird request.
"Yes". The answer came easily. I had no reason not to trust him.
Adrian shifted his weight as he fell into some kind of stance. "I'm not going to hurt you". He said. "I just want to show you something".
I thought about trying to copy Adrian's stance. I thought about refusing to do this. Instead, I admitted, "I've never been in a duel before".
My voice must have come off as unsure because Adrian's face smooths into a patient look that I had never seen on him before. "Just raise your wand and be ready to react. Actually, I'm going to let you cast the first spell". I think he meant it to be reassuring, but it did nothing. Feeling off-balance, I raised my wand in front of my face with a grip that was tighter than how we were instructed to hold our wands as first-years. Were we really going to do this? "When you're ready", Adrian said.
I took a deep breath. Everything I knew about duels came from Harry's duels from the book series. Because of that, there was really only one spell I thought about using. "Expelliarmus", I yelled. Scarlet light shoots out of my wand in Adrian's direction.
But before I had even finished saying the incantation, Adrian was moving his wand. He didn't say anything, but the scarlet light of my disarming spell bounced off the air in front of him before it could hit. A shield charm. My eyes widened. How? He hadn't said anything. There was no pause between Adrian's wand movements. As soon as his shield charm was over, he was sending a golden-hued light in my direction. I didn't recognize it. My instinct wasn't to throw up a shield of my own. I doubted that I could get the incantation out fast enough. So, I sidestepped it. Adrian redirected his aim and cast another nonverbal spell in my direction. When did he learn how to do that?
This duel, if it can even be called that, quickly became one-sided. I never got the chance to build up my magical energy or mutter another spell as Adrian lit up the room in blue, red, and purple light. He never paused or faltered as he pushed me back further into the classroom. Some spells I recognized; like the tickling charm and the tongue-tying curse. Others were unknowns. I felt like the only thing I could do was dodge, and it wasn't long before I was stumbling over my own feet. My breathing accelerated along with my heart rate. Fly-away strands of my hair started to stick to my face. We couldn't have been at this longer than a minute. Why was I already slowing down?
Adrian, on the other hand, was relentless. He still had his mouth closed. There wasn't any visible sweat on him. It wasn't long before I got hit. My feet started tapping uncontrollably on the stone floor. Tarantallegra. It had to be. Why would he use the dancing feet spell in a duel? But with my feet no longer under my control, it was harder to dodge Adrian's attacks. His next spell that hit me caused my arm to go numb. Luckily it wasn't my wand arm. Not that I was really using my wand. Clearly, Adrian had done this before. The last spell that hit me, I recognized. Adrian had only used nonverbal magic this whole duel, but as soon as my body froze up and my limbs became rigor mortis I knew he had hit me with the full body-bind curse. I fell backward and was grateful that I was at least not falling forward. My back connecting with the floor was the only pain I felt from this whole duel, and it was a mild amount. Adrian had been telling the truth; he wasn't trying to hurt me.
Only a few seconds passed of me staring up at the ceiling, unmoving before Adrian was standing over me. Not a single hair on his head was out of place as Adrian waved his wand over me and muttered the counter-spells for all his handiwork. Annoyingly, he looked very relaxed and I was feeling kind of jealous. As soon as I could, I popped up into a sitting position. Adrian kneeled next to my side and I turned my head in his direction to glare at him. "So, what did you learn?" He asked smugly. Git.
I scoffed. "That you're secretly a sadist".
Adrian gave a closed-lipped smile that didn't really express any amusement as he reached out with his wand free hand and swept a few hairs out of my face. The brush of his fingertips on my forehead sent a shiver down my spine. I kind of wanted him to do it again. "How about the fact that I know more magic than you do?" Adrian asked self-assuredly as he lowered his hand.
"Yeah", I admitted slowly. "That too". Where was he going with this?
"And why do you think that is?" He asked another question. Like he really wanted to make sure the point of this little duel of his sunk in.
But I was honestly drawing a blank. I shook my head and made a gesture with my hand. "I don't know. You have a lot of free time on your hands". I was still rather confused about why Adrian wanted to show me how strong his dueling skills were with everything that was going on. I mean, things weren't great but it wasn't like we were going to be seeing a war anytime soon. That was hopefully still five years away.
"Being in a relationship with you, I am finding I have a lot less free time", Adrian retorted with a bit of snark. I couldn't call him out on it. Not when he had easily overpowered me. "Holly", Adrian changed tone; becoming slightly more serious. "I was a Hogwarts graduate". Things started to click after he said that. "I know every spell, curse, and hex they teach here. I was a death eater. I know dark magic they don't teach here. I know magic that is illegal". He pauses to let that last sentence really resonate. We were talking about past lives. And when comparing past life advantages, Adrian definitely won. He had been reborn into the same culture as his first life. And he had a lifetime of experience using magic. "I don't understand what those things you said to Lockhart meant. I don't know why it set him on edge. But I think you said those things for me". Adrian continued. He reached out again. But this time, instead of brushing hair out of my face, he rested his cold callous palm against my cheek. I leaned into the touch. After today, I need any small comfort I can get. Adrian leaned in closer until our foreheads were touching. "I don't need you to protect me. It might be hard for your brash Gryffindor brain to understand, but I knew what I was doing and I am very capable of doing it. When it comes to the wizarding world, let me handle it". Adrian tilted his head and pressed his lips against mine. Like the first kiss we had shared in the hospital wing, this was also long and drawn out. Unlike that kiss, this one is warmer and carried some sort of promise I was still working on discovering. It kind of made me forget why we were in this unused classroom in the first place. When the kiss was over, Adrian kept his forehead pressed against mine. "But if I ever run into any trouble with a muggle, you'll be the first person I turn to for help".
I snorted. "I doubt a muggle is ever going to give you trouble".